Do Good Day - October 28, 2008

***One Day, Millions of Do-Gooders"Make a Difference Day"-- the inspiration for this week's newsletter -- falls on October 28 this year. Not knowing much about this special day, I did some online research and discovered that every fourth Saturday in October, millions of people simultaneously make an effort to help others, neighbor to neighbor. According to the official "Make a Difference Day" website, making a difference doesn't require heroics. You don't have to deliver a truckload of clothing to the homeless, clean up a stream, or paint classrooms in a needy school -- though these are all worthy efforts. Instead, your deed may be as simple as spending the afternoon helping an elderly neighbor. Here are other simple but meaningful activities, conducted by real kids. You can try some of these with your child: •Care for neglected pets. The Junior Girl Scout Troop of Lemoore, CA, baked six dozen dog biscuits and collected 700 pounds of pet food and 300 pounds of cat litter for an animal shelter. •Share your artwork with seniors. Lauren Thompson, 13, organized a poster project so Arkansas nursing home residents could have artwork in their rooms. TIME TO SHAREHow do you teach your children to be generous? http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topics/getalong/getalong08